Introduction
Software bugs are an inevitable part of modern technology. With today’s applications becoming ever more feature-packed and complex, it’s not uncommon to encounter issues. However, when an application designed to handle text crashes while typing, it raises significant concerns. Recently, Microsoft has acknowledged such a problem affecting certain installs of Outlook, Word, and OneNote.
The Problem
According to Microsoft, after updating to Office version 2407 build 17830.20138 or higher, users may notice that Outlook, Word, or OneNote may unexpectedly close when typing or performing other authoring tasks such as spell check. This issue has understandably caused frustration among users who rely on these applications for their daily tasks.
Identifying the Issue
Microsoft suggests confirming the issue by looking for event 1000 or event 1001 in the Windows Event Viewer application log. The problem appears to be related to older language packs, with the faulting module name varying depending on the installed language packs. Examples include mscss7it.dll for Italian or mscss7ge.dll for German.
Temporary Solutions
Microsoft has advised some workarounds to address the issue. These include performing an online repair of the affected Office application, uninstalling outdated Office language installations, and reinstalling the language accessory pack for Microsoft 365. Affected users are also encouraged to visit the Microsoft forums, where multiple users have reported similar crashes across various languages and platforms, including the Windows and Android versions.
Conclusion
While bugs in software are commonplace, it is crucial for developers to quickly address issues that significantly hinder user experience. Microsoft’s acknowledgment and ongoing investigation into the unexpected crashes in Outlook, Word, and OneNote demonstrate a commitment to resolving these disruptions. Users experiencing these problems should follow the suggested workarounds to mitigate the issue until a permanent fix is released.
